As rain showers and scattered thunderstorms begin to pummel Northeast Ohio, the National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch through Sunday morning for several counties, including those surrounding Cleveland. With substantial rainfall already on the docket and more on the way, localized flooding has become a real concern for the region.
While early rises may have noticed the warmth, the area is gearing up for weather changes. According to the National Weather Service Cleveland, “Showers and scattered thunderstorms have begun to spread northeast.” Behind the warm front, temperatures are in the low to mid-50s, while areas north of this boundary linger cooler in the 40s. The wet conditions are expected to continue, with reports of 0.2-0.4 inches of rainfall already recorded in some areas and predictions of up to 1 inch of QPF (Quantitative Precipitation Forecast) totals through the morning.
The skies will offer a brief respite in the afternoon before a cold front sags south across the area, bringing another round of showers and isolated thunderstorms, particularly in the southeastern counties. The stormy conditions now come with a primary concern of hail and strong winds. As the cold front overpowers the warm front, the plunging temperatures could set the stage for some areas to see a rain-to-snow transition by Sunday, with 850mb temperatures falling to -2 to -5C, suggesting conducive conditions for dendritic snow growth. Despite this, significant snow accumulation is not anticipated…